Stone Arhat Statues at Gosansa Temple

These are arhat statues enshrined in Eungjinjeon Hall of Gosansa Temple on Mt. Waryongsan in Jecheon. Arhat is an abbreviation of arahant, referring to the highest-ranking saint among practitioners of Theravada Buddhism. According to temple records, Gosansa Temple was founded by National Preceptor Doseon in the late Silla to early Goryeo period. However, as roof tiles and celadon fragments collected from the temple are mainly artifacts from the Goryeo and Joseon periods, the exact founding date remains uncertain.

The arhat statues at Gosansa Temple, arranged to the left and right of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, are presumed to have been made in the mid-Joseon period. During the Joseon dynasty, arhat statues were typically made of plaster or clay, but these arhat statues are made of stone, making them extremely rare examples. The Stone Arhat Statues at Gosansa Temple in Jecheon, along with the Stone Arhat Statues at Sinheungsa Temple in Chungju, are preserved in the northern region of Chungcheongbuk-do and serve as valuable materials confirming the arhat faith of the Joseon period in the Chungcheongbuk-do area.